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WV Bill Lowers Minimum Number of Racing Dates

Legislation introduced in the West Virginia Senate March 6 calls for several statutory changes regarding racing, including a substantial reduction in the minimum number of dates a track must schedule each year.

Table Game Legislation Advances in Indiana

Senators voted 32-18 Monday to approve the bill that would allow Indiana's 10 riverboat casinos to move inland to adjacent property and permit live table games at the two horse track casinos.

Indiana Table Game Bill Advances in Committee

The Indiana Senate Public Policy Committee unanimously approved the bill, which would allow Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs to add table games like blackjack and roulette.

Indiana to Consider Table Games at Tracks

Indiana race tracks could move a step closer to being allowed to add table games on Wednesday, Jan. 23 when a state Senate committee considers changes to gambling laws.

Del Park Gives Bonus Experiment Some Time

Delaware Park has received mostly favorable feedback on its ontrack exacta bonus experiment, but its potential may be hard to gauge until it has a chance to grow.

Card Games Aid Charles Town Handle Increase

Pari-mutuel handle on live and simulcast racing has increased at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races since casino table games were added to the mix at the West Virginia facility, officials said Aug. 4.

Table Games Approved at Hollywood Casino

Patrons at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course will be able to play table games, effective July 13, after approval was granted by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

Rise of the Racino - By Richard Thalheimer

The number of states that permit racino gaming has grown from one in 1990 to 15 in 2010.

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MTR Gaming Group Reports First-Quarter Loss

MTR Gaming Group reported a net loss of $3.3 million for the first quarter of 2010 versus net income of $752,000 for the same period in 2009.

WV '10-10-10 Program' Hinges on Governor

A bill on West Virginia's 10-10-10 program, which offers purse supplements to in-state Thoroughbred owners, as well as breeders and stallion owners, awaits action by the governor.

Horsemen Link Table Games License, Repairs

Philly Park has been granted a table games license, but horsemen there want improvements made to racing-related facilities on the property.

PA Tracks Must Answer for Racing Promotion

The chair of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission said March 10 racetrack casinos in the state are expected to demonstrate "concrete ways their commitment to live racing and breeding."

Table Games Legalized for Delaware Racetracks

Table games could be operating at three Delaware racetracks sometime this summer.

Pressure Mounting for Pa. Table Games

Gov. Ed Rendell is threatening to layoff 1,000 more state employees if legislators don't approve table games at slots parlors.

Delaware Report Suggests 'Three Is Enough'

As the Delaware government awaits the results of an independent study into the expansion of casino gambling in the state, a study commissioned by three racetracks concluded the addition of casinos will cannibalize the market.

Charles Town Gets OK to Add Table Games

Charles Town Races & Slots won approval Dec. 5 to install table games to go along with its 5,000 video lottery terminals.

Lowe Elected President of Charles Town HBPA

Ken Lowe was elected president of the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, defeating incumbent Randy Funkhouser.

Peace at Charles Town on Table Games Vote?

Charles Town Races & Slots said Oct. 22 it has broad support from Thoroughbred owners and breeders for a Dec. 5 referendum to authorize the West Virginia racetrack to add casino-style table games, but issues that divide management and horsemen remain.

PA Budget Approved With Reduced Slots Revenue

Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell has signed into law a budget for Pennsylvania that reduces the share of revenue horse racing gets from slot machines by about 17% over four years.

Charles Town to Pursue Vote on Table Games

Penn National Gaming, Inc. said Aug. 6 it will request to hold a special December referendum for table games at Charles Town Races & Slots.

Life After Slots? It's Sobering--at Best

The expansion of gaming at racetrack casinos doesn't always guarantee more money for purses and breed development programs, horsemen said July 2 during a sobering discussion that showed horse racing's challenge to stay relevant in a revenue-driven environment.

Sports Bets, Table Games for Delaware Tracks

Delaware expects to offer sports betting at its three racetracks this summer under a new law that also allows the tracks to offer table games such as blackjack, craps, poker, and roulette.

No Table-Games Vote for Charles Town

A Penn National Gaming Inc. official said the company doesn't plan to ask voters this year to approve table games at Charles Town Races & Slots in West Virginia.

FL Supreme Court Denies Tribe's Request

The Supreme Court of Florida Sept. 11 denied a request by the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Gov. Charlie Crist for a re-hearing on its July 3 ruling that blackjack and baccarat are illegal at the tribe's Hollywood, Fla., casino.

FL Tracks Wary as Tribal Gaming Expands

The Seminole Tribe of Florida is preparing for the June 22 launch of blackjack and baccarat at its Hollywood, Fla., casino located 10 miles from Gulfstream Park, one of the racetracks that filed suits to stop the Seminole gaming expansion.

MTR Gaming Touts 2008 as Better Year

In an April 7 conference call where an executive announced an end to a workers' strike at its signature racino, MTR Gaming Group also claimed its 2007 financial performance was a product of a four-year business plan to diversify and strengthen the company.

MTR Gaming Pleased with Table Games

MTR Gaming Group said Jan. 16 its Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort reported about $3 million in revenue from table games and poker since the full ramp-up of table-game operations in late December.

Mountaineer, Presque Isle Set Dates

Two Thoroughbred tracks owned by MTR Gaming Group have scheduled 332 racing dates for 2008.

Mountaineer Readies for Table Games

The West Virginia Lottery Commission has authorized Mountaineer Casino Resort & Racetrack to conduct two nights of testing in preparation for the soon-to-be announced official opening of table games.

MTR Gaming: Poker Up, Income Down

Play at poker tables in their first few weeks of operation at Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort has exceeded expectations.

New Simulcast Area, Poker Room Open at Mountaineer

A new poker room and simulcast facility are open in the grandstand at Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort, which earlier this year received state and county approval to add table games to its thousands of video lottery terminals.

Audit Shows Table Games Passed for Dog Track

An audit of a vote on table games at a Greyhound racetrack near Charleston, W.Va., showed the measure passed 23,192-22,849, but there has been a call for a recount.

Track Wins Table Games But Vote Contested

Contested election results indicate voters approved table games at a Kanawha County, W.Va., dog track located less than an hour from the eastern Kentucky border.

Competition Leads to MTR Gaming Losses in Second Quarter

MTR Gaming Group realized a 40% increase in net revenues for the second quarter, according to financials released Aug. 9, but recorded a net loss of $502,000 as the company battled slots competition from neighboring Pennsylvania.

Mountaineer Gets OK To Be Full-Scale Casino

Voters in a local referendum June 30 approved the addition of table games at Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort, giving management and horsemen hope the new offerings will boost business at the West Virginia facility and perhaps increase interest in the live racing product.

Gaming Vote Key to Mountaineer Expansion

The company that owns Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort is attempting to focus on its core holdings, and on June 30 will find out whether it can add table games at the West Virginia facility.

Penn National Agrees to $8.9 Billion Buyout

Penn National Gaming has agreed to be acquired by two private funds for $8.9 billion, the company announced June 15.

Instant Racing Bid Alive, But 'Not Healthy'

A bid by Ohio racetracks to win approval for Instant Racing machines, which resemble video lottery terminals but are pari-mutuel in nature, is said to still have some life left despite an announcement by Gov. Ted Strickland that he would veto the measure.

Voters: No Table Games for Charles Town

Charles Town Races & Slots, owned by Penn National Gaming Inc., lost its bid to add table games in a June 9 referendum in Jefferson County, West Virginia.

Local Votes on Table Games Begin in West Virginia

Local referendums on the addition of table games at racetracks will be held in two West Virginia counties June 9. Votes in two other counties are set for June 30 and Aug. 11.

Counties With Tracks Plan Votes on Table Games

Four West Virginia counties plan local-option votes on the addition of table games at racetracks.

West Virginia Table Games Closer to Reality

If West Virginia's governor signs legislation passed by both houses of the state legislature, voters in four counties will decide the fate of table games at four racetracks in the state.

West Virginia Senate OKs Racetrack Table Games Bill

The West Virginia Senate March 6 voted to legalize table games at the state's horse and dog racing tracks. The bill, which already passed the House of Delegates, must return there for concurrence.

West Virginia Senate to Vote on Table Games

The West Virginia Senate is schedule to vote on legislation to authorize table games at the state's four tracks, including Charles Town Races & Slots and Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort.

Table-Games Bill Passes West Virginia House

The West Virginia House of Delegates has approved legislation that would allow the counties in which four racetracks are located to vote on table games at the facilities, which already have video lottery terminals.

West Virginia Tracks Would Get Table Games Under Bill

Legislation to authorize table games at West Virginia racetracks was introduced Jan. 30 in the state legislature.

Bills: Vote on Table Games, Ban on Account Bets

West Virginia lawmakers are considering two bills--one that would prohibit account wagering, and another that would authorize county referendums on the addition of casino-style games at Thoroughbred and Greyhound racetracks.

Senate OKs Table Games at West Virginia Racinos

West Virginia's four racetracks moved a stepped closer to becoming full-scale casinos March 28 when the state Senate approved legislation to legalize table games at the facilities.

West Virginia Table-Games Bill Altered

Legislation endorsed by the West Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee would allow casino-style table games at the four racetracks in the state, but the panel also doubled the state tax on the games from 12% to 24%.

Prairie Changes Board to Combat Riverboat Casino

Prairie Meadows' board of directors has unanimously passed a resolution that would change the makeup of its board in exchange for business support to oppose a Des Moines riverboat casino.